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rock concert volume regulated?


guitar_randy

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I thought I heard that rock concerts these days are regulated as far as how loud they are allowed to be .Certain many decibels.I saw ac/DC concert in Illinois on Oct 30th and they were LOUD.I am not complaining at all,I love it that way.I was just wondering if there actully is a regulation for how loud a concert can be,or are they different with that in all areas of the world?

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Its not the same but I was at a wedding on Saturday which had a live band. The venue is a 300yr old farmhouse and outbuildings in a remote location surrounded by fields then houses.... Sound travels well over fields. At the venue was a sound regulator which prevented that band playing too loud. If the band played to loud then this device would CUT the power to the venue. The sad thing about this was the shocking low level this device was set too. The band did three 45Min sets and on the first four tracks the power cut. Enough was enough and arrangements were made to run an extentsion cable into a different location. They tried to cover this box which was installed by the local authority after complaints about noise.... It was too sensative.. outright rediculous...

 

The band finished up without this pest! And they were good! To give you an idea how low this thing was set if you tapped on the snare drum wit your finger, the power would cut..

 

Regards

Flight959

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This past July Ozzy, Judas Priest and Serj Tankien (among others) played in Calgary for the "Monsters of Rock" festival. Since it was an outdoor stadium, the cops limited the concert to 65 dB so as not to disturb the neighbours.

 

What's the point of being outdoors if you can't make everyone within a 3 mile radius deaf?

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Yeah, they DO have regulations, but I know they're not strictly enforced.

 

I believe it is 120db, but I don't know for sure.

 

The only place you're going to find someone walking around with a decibel meter is the really commercial concerts though, nobody gives a **** otherwise.

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+1 Ian... honestly' date=' if you were enforcing that limit at an AC/DC concert, are you really going to walk up to Angus Young, look him in the face, and tell him to turn it down a little?[/quote']

 

Heh...unfortunately old Angus doesn't have to worry about it...it's the FOH sound engineers that take all the flak!

 

Guy came up to me when I was running sound at a gig and was holding a decibel meter...I almost murdered the SOB...

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There's nothing like being able to feel the music in your chest' date=' legs, wherever, as well as hear it.[/quote']

 

Yeah that's what I always said too... I wish I had listened to everyone that told me I listen to music too loud... Now I have a constant ringing in my ears that never goes away, never.... My only hope is that it doesn't get worse... I'm only 53 years old and I hope not to go deaf, music is my life...

 

Wear ear plugs on stage or at loud events... Please

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I've never heard of a overall national or health safety law but the different cities and states all have specific ordinances. I've heard some strange interpretations of the law over the years everything from ??Db to a vague all light and sound must not be done in such a manner as to be a nuisance at the property line type of crap. I've played in numerous venues that have different volumes based on the time of night (quiet time ordinances) and the time varies usually for some reason 10p.m. or 12p.m. a lot of hotel type venues do that. when ever we played private parties or outdoor gigs the rule was that we would play until the police showed up for the third time or started ticketing the band itself if they ticket the owner only, then the owner got to decide if we stopped.

 

The only time I was ticketed without a warning was in Denver the pd showed at large outdoor event and ticketed anyone with a instrument for disturbing the peace. That was a weird night with the police showing up twice outside before they came in and shut us down the officer in charge clearly wasn't sure what to do and started off asking if my guitar was louder than a chainsaw? I smarted off that I didn't know since I didn't play a chainsaw but if they had one hell I was game. Needless to say that's when the ticketbook came out and they said it was a city nuisance code and it compared standard noises like a TV and a vacuum that was fine, then a Motorcycle or car being driven (Never heard my Harley - Thank God), and then I guess a chainsaw was listed as a level of noise that could be cited as a nuisance. I think the fine was only 150 or close to that and the owner paid it so no big deal, The owner was issued tickets for all sorts of stuff from occupancy in tents and outbuildings to parking and blocking street access so maybe it was a regular for him who knows, we did the final hour acoustic and still got paid the full price so everything was fine.

 

 

edit -

I agree with the last few comments about protecting the hearing they estimate about 40%hearing loss on my left side and 25% on the right with constant ringing all from noise exposure but between guns, motorcycle's and music it's anyones guess but the only time it bothers me is in crowded places with a lot of background noise like bars etc. everyone knows if you ask me a question Im just gonna smile cause I likely missed most of it.

 

Thats why I'm such a fan of the new sub 1 watt tube amp's all the tone and breakup with out the damaging volume. But for the kids out there be careful and really watch the headphones.

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Wow Dave I didn't know you were that old... (no offense mind you.) I would have guessed 35 based on your posts.

I also have mild tunnitus and it SUCKS. I find it only bugs me if I'm exposed to loud noises or high volume levels but then it stays for a week...

 

I am young at heart, but yes... 53 big ones.... Ouch! You are lucky yours goes away still.... Well imagine that it doesn't and it's loud. Take care of your ears!!!!! They make custom form fitted earplugs made just for you. They are really cool because they cut out the damaging frequencies and lower the overall DBs but you can still have a conversation without taking them out...

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